Biden confirms deal to free hostages held by Hamas is near
Eden Villalovas
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President Joe Biden said on Monday he believes a deal to free hostages being held by the Hamas militant group in Gaza is near — although specifics remain unclear.
Speaking to a reporter at the White House’s annual turkey-pardoning event, Biden was asked if the United States is close to securing the release of hostages taken by Hamas in the Gaza Strip as discussions with Israeli officials are in the works.
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“I believe so, but I’m not prepared to talk to you,” Biden responded. When the reporter asked again if the president believes a deal is near, Biden responded, “Yes.”
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog said Israel is hopeful that a significant number of hostages could be released soon.
“They are very serious efforts, and I’m hopeful we can have a deal in the coming days,” Herzog said on ABC’s This Week on Sunday.
The exact number of hostages who would be freed from Hamas and the length of the truce remains unknown.
Reports claim Qatari mediators are helping to negotiate a deal between Hamas and Israel to free dozens of hostages in exchange for a temporary ceasefire. Reuters reported that under the deal, some Palestinian women and children would be freed from Israeli jails and humanitarian aid would be brought into the Gaza Strip, adding that sources familiar with negotiations said Hamas would release around 50 hostages from Gaza in exchange for a three-day pause.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani said in a press conference on Sunday in Doha that the discussions leading to a deal hinge on “very minor” logistical matters.
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In a separate report, the Washington Post said Israel and Hamas had reached a “tentative U.S.-brokered deal” to free hostages in Gaza in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting on Saturday. The story was updated on Sunday to say the U.S. was “close” to reaching a deal after the White House clarified it had not yet reached a deal. The Washington Post detailed a six-page agreement between the parties before walking back its reporting on Sunday after National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson quoted the story on X, formerly Twitter, writing, “We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal.”
Israeli officials said 240 hostages were taken when Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct. 7 and that more than 1,200 people were killed during the attack.